1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing tackle storage device and, more particularly, to a pretied leader line, hook and lure storage device which is constructed from a very lightweight, resilient, buoyant and homogenous material wherein a pretied leader line may be tightly wound around a spooling chamber without stretching and fraying of the pretied leader line. Moreover, because the storage device is essentially made of such resilient material, the hook can be lodged at any place on the storage device thereby allowing the tight storage of leader lines without regard to their length. The resilient properties of the material allow for repeated lodging and dislodging of hooks into said material without materially compromising the integrity of the storage device. The storage device, thus, does not require, and in the preferred embodiment has no, discrete pre-positioned hook lodging/dislodging points or areas because the entire surface area of the storage device can serve the hook lodging/dislodging function. Henceforth, the unitary, homogenous structure of the storage device, with a plurality of pegs, made of such resilient material provides the triple functionality of (1) spooling a plurality of pretied leader lines, whereby the pretied leader lines are maintained separated and untangled, (2) storing the associated hooks anywhere in the surface of the storage device, and (3) requiring no other structural support means. The very lightweight, resilient, buoyant and homogenous material also allows the storage device to float (even when laden with hooks and lures) in the event the storage device is dropped overboard.
2. General Background
Fishermen typically pretie a plurality of leader lines with fishing tackle, such as hooks, lures and sinkers (including, without limitation, split shots) prior to a fishing expedition in order to save time. The pretied leader lines are made of nylon material or the like and often become entangled when grouped together (whether in a tackle box or in some other manner). Additionally, the tangling problem is more acute with dual or multi pretied leader lines (each having tied thereto two or more hooks and/or lure combinations) Untangling is both time consuming and sometimes futile; and, in the process, the hooks embedded in the lures can cause injury to the fisherman.
Several devices have been patented which are aimed at storage devices for pretied leaders, hooks and lures.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,596,896, by Goad, is directed to a storage device for pretied leader lines made of a light-weight, preferably round piece of wood, or a like moisture-retaining material having formed therein two lengthwise channels. The two lengthwise channels receive therein rubber bands wherein the rubber bands function to secure the leader lines in place. The invention, by Goad, is not made of a resilient material which allows the pretied leaders to be tightly wound around a spooling chamber and does not function to protect the leader line. Furthermore, the invention, by Goad, requires discrete pre-positioned hook lodging/dislodging points or areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,716,302, by Dutton, is directed to a storage device for pretied leader lines having a plurality of circumferential grooves and a slot in the bottom of each groove for anchoring the hook and pretied line. Therefore, the invention, by Dutton, provides discrete pre-positioned hook lodging/dislodging points or areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,743,546, by Crist, is directed to a pretied leader storage device made of a sponge-like material capable of receiving a hook. The groove design of the Crist invention does not fully protect the line of the pretied leader line and cannot store a lure. Moreover, pretied leader lines (typically made of nylon) cannot be adequately secured to the sponge-like material when the sponge-like material is squeezed together. The compressible properties of the sponge-like material renders the storage device cumbersome to use and deformable.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,789,389, by Moen, is directed to a pretied leader line storage device comprising a rigid central cylindrical tubular base having coupled thereto a resilient pad. The outer surface of the resilient pad has adhesively affixed thereto a leader retaining strip. The pretied leader line storage device, by Moen, is not made of only a single material, as is the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,752, by Van Kampen, is directed to a rotatably coupled pretied leader line storage device. The pretied leader line storage device comprises a spindle which is rotatably coupled to a boat or a tackle box and a foam tube having a longitudinal slit for coupling such foam tube around the spindle. The continuous grooves are not dimensioned to store a lure and the pegs used to hold leader lines are not anchored to the foamed material.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,036,451, by Pipkin, and 4,281,806, by McMullen, are directed to pretied leader line storage devices comprised of a reel made of mechanical components and a housing. However, the mechanical components of such storage devices are capable of malfunctioning. Moreover, such storage devices are cumbersome to use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,284, by Hanson, is directed to a pretied leader and hook storage device which is made of a plurality of plastic type materials. The plastic type materials allow for floatation of the storage device. However, the storage device, by Hanson, is not made of a resilient material which allows the pretied leaders to be tightly wound around a spooling chamber. Moreover, the storage device, by Hanson, is complex in construction thereby increasing the cost of manufacturing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,856, by Born, is directed to a pocket size holder for pretied leaders having a rubber pad for hooking a hook therein. The pocket size holder, by Born, is not made of a resilient material such that the pretied leader lines may be tightly wound and does not truly accommodate pretied leader lines of varying lengths since the rubber pad for storing the hooks are discrete pre-positioned hook lodging/dislodging points and areas. Additionally, the pocket size holder for pretied leaders, by Born, comprises a leader storage compartment, cutting blade, anchoring slots, and swivel securing means which increases the complexity of its construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,228, by Gallivan, is directed to a hollow tubular storage unit for pretied leader lines and hooks or the like having a plurality of spools rotatably mounted on an axle. The storage unit, by Gallivan, is complex in construction and is not made of a resilient material such that the pretied leader lines may be tightly wound. The invention, by Gallivan, provides a small projection on one of the side walls of the spooling chamber; hence, depending on the length of the leader line, the small projection may be upside down in order to secure the hook in the hook retainer (a discrete pre-positioned hook lodging/dislodging area). As a result, the leader line may become detached from the small projection and unwind.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,662, by Vader et al., is directed to a pretied leader line and hook storage device which is complex in construction. Additionally, the spooling chambers, by Vader et al., are not made of resilient material so that the pretied leader lines may be tightly wound around a spooling chamber. Since the anchoring means (a discrete pre-positioned hook lodging/dislodging area) for storing the hooks of the pretied leader lines are not in close proximity to the spooling chambers, the invention, by Vader et al., does not truly accommodate pretied leader lines of varying lengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,791, by Sherrod, is directed to a pocket size pretied leader line and hook storage device made of semi-stiff material. Although, the storage device, by Sherrod, is directed to preventing tangling of the pretied leader lines and storage of the hooks, the nylon leader lines cannot be tightly wound around the spooling chambers made of the semi-stiff material. Moreover, the hooks are stored in a discrete pre-positioned area; henceforth, the pretied leader lines are susceptible to becoming unwound and tangled. Additionally, the storage device, by Sherrod, cannot accommodate lure storage.
Other patents present in the art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,372,073, by Goldman, and 4,649,662, by Tharp et al., of which are directed to the use of polyethylene foamed material or the like; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,290,223, by Ostenberg et al., 4,998,685, by Spencer, and 5,490,624, by Yavitz, of which are directed to dispensing fishing and leader lines, but do not meet the needs of the storage device of the present invention.
Therefore, it can be seen that the known storage devices do not address the continuing need for a pretied leader line, hook and lure storage device which is constructed from a very lightweight, resilient, buoyant and homogenous material wherein a pretied leader line may be tightly wound around a spooling chamber without stretching and fraying of the pretied leader line and wherein the hooks can be lodged at any place on the storage device thereby allowing the tight storage of leader lines without regard to their length. The resilient properties of the homogenous material allow for repeated lodging and dislodging of hooks into said homogenous material without materially compromising the integrity of the storage device. The storage device, thus, does not require, and in the preferred embodiment has no, discrete pre-positioned hook lodging/dislodging points or areas because the entire surface area of the storage device can serve the hook lodging/dislodging function. Henceforth, the unitary, homogenous structure of the storage device, with a plurality of pegs, made of such resilient material provides the triple functionality of (1) spooling a plurality of pretied leader lines, whereby the pretied leader lines are maintained separated and untangled, (2) storing the associated hooks anywhere in the surface of the storage device, and (3) requiring no other structural support means. The very lightweight, resilient, buoyant and homogenous material also allows the storage device to float (even when laden with hooks and lures) in the event the storage device is dropped overboard.